2 Seas set for Gulf 12 Hours title-defence

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahraini-British racing team 2 Seas Motorsport are set to headline a highly competitive 15-car grid in the Gulf 12 Hours this weekend at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

2 Seas are the defending champions of the event, which was held last year in Bahrain. This time they have returned with another two GT3 cars entered. Team co-owner His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla Al Khalifa will feature in one of the crews.

He is reuniting with Croatian Martin Kodric and Briton Ben Barnicoat, with whom he won the 2021 race. They will once again compete in the Pro class. The second car will see an all-British trio of Casper Stevenson, Morgan Tillbrook and Ian Loggie, who are contesting the Am class.

HH Shaikh Isa commented: “The 2021 Gulf 12 Hours was a hugely proud moment for me personally, both as a driver and a team owner, winning on home soil in Bahrain. “I am extremely pleased that we can return to defend the title, with the added challenge of being back at Yas Marina, and I am really looking forward to being back racing with Ben and Martin.

“Hopefully we can keep the momentum going into the new season and start the year on another strong footing. “It is also great to be challenging for the Am honours, and the line-up is a fantastic mix of youth and experience with Casper, Morgan and Ian.

“I am feeling confident that we have a real chance of a strong result, and they will certainly be a force to be reckoned with.” Race organisers announced yesterday the full 15-car grid, which will have 12 GT3 contenders and three GT4 cars.

Set to battle 2 Seas amongst the GT3 challengers are a pair of AF Corse Ferraris, two Kessel Racing Ferraris, an Akka ASP Mercedes, an Attempto Racing Audi, a Baron Motorsport Ferrari, an SPS Automotive Mercedes, a Sun Energy 1 by SPS Automotive Performance Mercedes and a Monster VR46 Kessel Racing Ferrari, who boast legendary Italian motorcycle racer, Valentino Rossi, in their driver line-up.

The three GT4 cars include a Century Motorsport Aston Martin, a Century Motorsport BMW and a Greystone GT McLaren. Action is scheduled to get underway on Friday with three sessions of Qualifying.

The first part of the race will then flag off at 8.35 am, Bahrain time, on Saturday and continue until 2.35 pm, followed by the second part from 4.30 pm to 10.30 pm, Bahrain time.